The Boys Are Back In Town
by Sir Sebastian
Summary: After years of being away, Ron returns to Middleton for his ten-year High School Reunion. His return is anything but triumphant.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Inspired by the song The Boys Are Back In Town by Thin Lizzy. This fic has taken me more than a year to get out, and I really hope the time wasn't wasted. I have to thank _cpneb_ and _Pharaoh Rutin Tutin_ for giving feedback on the early drafts of the story, and cpneb again for doing the final beta.

This fic is somewhat AU. Like myself, it ignores most of Season 4.

**Disclaimer:** Characters used and abused in this fic are the product and property of people way smarter - and cooler - than I. I have my way with them for my own twisted amusement - and hopefully yours.

Kim Possible © Disney

* * *

**THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN**

_a Kim Possible fanfic, by Sir Sebastian_

≈O≈

All around me, the Rockies rose above the forest lining the road. It had been an hour since I'd entered the 'rocky' side of Colorado. The day was drawing towards the evening and the sun had gotten so low I had to adjust the visor to keep the glare from my eyes. In passing, I flicked at the cheap air freshener dangling from the rear-view mirror. The 'Wonder Tree' had long since lost any wonder it may once have had, adding nothing to the faint smell of detergent in the overzealously cleaned rental.

For the nth time I glanced at the invitation that lay on the seat next to me. "Welcome to the Middleton High School Reunion, Class of 2007," it said. A resigned sigh escaped my lips. Knowing better made no difference; I still had to come. I couldn't resist, no more than a moth can resist a flame.

The whole idea of landing in _Last Chance_ and driving the rest of the way to clear my head, seemed pointless now. All the drive did was it gave me too much time to think and overthink the situation. This being a huge mistake was beginning to seem like a real possibility. I should have just stayed home.

It was a little late for that, since I was already here.

The sign on the side of the road welcomed me to Middleton, "Where abnormal is normal." My lips curled into a wistful smile. Middleton really was weird central. From supervillains trying to take over the world, to toxic zombie snowmen, the place had seen it all. And I had been a part of that - once. Maybe that's why I had adopted the 'Never be normal' attitude.

The clock on the dashboard read 6:02pm. There was plenty of time to visit the folks before the reunion. We didn't see each other often, since I tried to avoid coming here at all cost. Usually we'd communicate by phone, and they had visited me in Go City a few times. The only time I had visited them was when Dad had a heart attack. I guess it was high time for a proper return visit.

The one thing that caught my attention as I drove through town, was how very little had changed since I had left. The buildings weren't nearly as new as I had expected. Back in the day the only town that got rebuilt more was South Park. But then again, the villainous activity had significantly decreased after the... incident. It still creeped me out that she could...

I shook the thought out of my head and continued on.

It wasn't long before my house - kinda funny that I still thought of it as _my_ house - came into view. It was a little worse for wear but didn't look all that different. Seeing the driveway was empty, I pulled in and turned the car off. The first thing I saw getting out of the car was the tree. Our tree. Even the old tree house was still up there. Looking at the rickety structure, I wondered if it would still hold my weight.

Deciding to give it a go, I went to the tree and felt out the boards nailed to the trunk. They were a little rotten, but felt sturdy enough. With a few disconcerting creeks, I climbed up and emerged from the hole in the floor of the tree house. Someone had been taking care of it, as it looked clean and like it was still being used. Even the picture was still on the crate that served as a sidetable.

Aw, man. I thought I put that away. Mom...

The flame. I was drawn to it. The springs creaked, some of them giving up entirely, as I sat on the old couch next to the crate and picked up the picture. Every detail registered with crystal clarity, bombarding me with vivid images from better days as I let my finger travel across the picture, tracing her features: the flippy auburn mane, those vibrant pools of green I could drown in, and her lips curled in a smile. That smile...

It hurt. The embers of the old flame flared up and ignited with soul-shattering force. As hard as I've tried suppressing it, the flame still burned, deep down, unrelenting.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" came a cautious voice from outside, bringing me out of my wallowing.

Mom.

The picture went back on the crate, face down.

Having to support myself on the wall, I struggled off the couch and went to the other side, sticking my head out the small window. Mom was standing next to the car, looking around. She was wearing jeans and a pink sweater. Since when did she wear jeans?

"It's me, mom," I called out.

She startled and looked around before finally noticing me in the tree. Her face brightened up immediately. "Ronnie! What are you doing up there? Come down and give your mother a hug."

As soon as I got down, I was crushed in a motherly hug. It may not be the manliest thing to admit to, but it felt good.

She smelled of freshly baked cinnamon rolls, autumnal apples, and of.. home.

I was home.

When we separated, I could see her eyes were already starting to tear up, making me feel a little guilty for not visiting more often. Was it an innate ability all mothers had, or did they take courses? 'A plus', mom, 'A plus'.

"You look good, mom," I grinned as I looked her over. She did look good; the years had been kind to her. Part of it was probably just me seeing her through a son's eyes, but to me, she hadn't aged a day. And if those jeans would have been any tighter, she'd have given dad another heart attack.

"Thanks. So do you," she said, wrapping an arm around me as she began leading me to the house.

"Where's dad?" I asked.

"He's on the treadmill," she said as she wiped away a tear. "He's really taking the doctor's orders seriously."

Dad had the heart attack six months ago and had been prescribed a healthier diet and exercise. For some reason he'd taken the advice to heart, even the rabbit food diet. Maybe he'd just gotten scared.

When we got inside, mom left to make some coffee. She offered to make dinner, but I declined as they'd probably have a buffet table at the reunion.

It was weird. Even though most of the furniture was new and I hadn't been in this house for ten years and it still felt like home. Well, I did spend a few days after dad was released from the hospital, but I didn't pay much attention to my surroundings as most of my time went to keeping dad from going crazy as mom kept fussing over him.

Pulling myself out of the nostalgia, I made my way down to the basement, which dad had converted into a home gym and rec room. I found him jumping rope, dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt, watching the ceiling-mounted flat screen TV. He had really lost weight. He still wasn't thin, but not anywhere near his old measurements. Dad actually looked like he could run a lap without getting winded. He really was serious. Being curious as to why that was, I made a mental note to ask about it later.

"Dad," I called him.

He startled and stepped on the rope, sending the handles flying out of his hands. He turned around and smiled.

"You scared me, son. You should know better than to scare a heart patient," he said, though his smile told me he wasn't serious.

"Sorry, dad. I seem to be doing that a lot today."

"Don't worry about it. I'm not about to flatline anytime soon," he said and hugged me. He was a little sweaty, but it was a light manly hug so I didn't get too badly soaked.

"Good to see you, son," he said as he patted me on the back.

"You too, dad."

We separated and dad held me by the shoulders, giving me an appraising look. "You look good."

"Hey, that's my line. I can't believe how fit you are."

"Thanks, son. A healthy diet and exercise can do that."

Before I was able to make use of the mental note, dad spoke up again. "Go help your mother. She's really missed you. I'll be up after I shower."

"Sure, Dad."

With a final glance back, I went back up the stairs. It was great to see dad in such great shape. Seeing him in that hospital bed had really scared me. I came too close to losing another person I loved. I don't know if I could have handled it.

The delicious aroma of fresh coffee lured me into the kitchen, where the coffee maker gurgled in the corner on the counter. Mom was standing next to the sink, staring out the window. From the reflection in the glass, I saw the far-away look in her eyes.

"Mom?"

She snapped back and turned to me. "Oh, hi, Ron. I was just thinking."

"About what? You looked a little... out there."

She sighed. "I just thought how nice it would be if you found a nice girl and settled down. Carried on the Stoppable name."

"Not this again. It'll happen when it happens," I said with a fair amount of frustration. This came up every time we talked. Even more so after dad's attack.

"I know, I know. But the thing with your father.. I just want him to live to see his grandchildren."

"If he keeps up his new lifestyle, he'll probably outlive me."

"You're trying to change the subject. Why haven't you been in a serious relationship yet?" she asked and got that patented worried mother expression on her face. "Is it because of Kimberly?"

Ouch. That hit a little too close to home, but I tried to convince her otherwise. "Come on, mom. KP is so history. I just haven't found the right one yet."

Mom saw I wasn't being totally honest but she didn't say anything. She got that sad look in her eyes and went to get the coffee cups from the cupboard. Why was it that mom could always see through me like I was a top on a Hollywood starlet? As astute as she was, she seemed to have no idea how much talking about _her_ hurt.

I didn't want to break down in front of mom, so I excused myself and stepped outside for a smoke - a nervous habit I picked up a few years ago, I guess right about the time Rufus died. It wasn't a regular thing, just when things got a little too... real.

The backyard was mostly empty, aside from the miscellaneous plants and flowers planted along the sides. A folded deck chair leaned on the wall. With the cigarette hanging between my lips, I unfolded the chair and sat on it, trying to clear my mind. For a few minutes the world seemed distant in the silence. Trees rustled in the gentle breeze. Somewhere in the distance, a bird sang happily. Just for a moment... I was free.

Then mom's words came crashing down. Why hadn't I been in a serious relationship? I guess that was a matter of opinion. I've had what could be considered as loving, fulfilling relationships, but all of them, one way or another, I ruined because I couldn't get over that one girl.

I never really bought into that "one true love" thing. I mean, I believe in true love and that some people are better for each other than others, but there being that one person for someone in the whole world? That just didn't make sense to me. Though you'd never know it from my love life. I was still hanging on to the past, never moved on, never gave myself the chance to find new happiness.

Maybe that's why I was here: to get closure. To convince myself once and for all that it could never be and then put it behind me.

I heard mom calling me, so I put out the cigarette on the bottom of the armrest, and jumped up from the chair, flicking the cigarette butt into some shrubs. After getting inside I washed my hands in the bathroom and gargled with some of dad's mouthwash. I knew it wouldn't fool mom, but I felt better just knowing I'd made an effort to hide it.

For the next hour or so, we spent talking over coffee, mostly about dad's condition. Thankfully, mom didn't bring up the relationship stuff again. After coffee, dad and I went to his study. It still looked the same as it did when I was a kid: the mahogany table, the bookcases filled to the brim, and his favorite leather chair, now worn. Looked like dad hadn't even moved the furniture. There was always something intriguing about this room when I was growing up. Maybe it was the lure of the forbidden, since I was rarely allowed in. The years had stripped the room of its mystique, and now I saw it as just a study, nothing more. It was a little sad, actually.

Dad pulled out a bottle of Cognac from the bar-globe - the one he thought mom didn't know about - and poured us two drinks. I could smell the traces of cigar smoke and the air freshener used to, unsuccessfully, get rid of it.

He handed me a glass. "The doctor said no alcohol, but since I'm doing so well otherwise, I think I can indulge every once in a while, don't you think?"

"A drop never killed anyone," I said and clinked glasses with dad. "You know, dad, an ionizer would clear out the smoke a lot better. And they're not that expensive."

He chuckled. "I know, son."

"So why the cheap spray?"

"Well, I guess you can call it a kind of courtship ritual."

That didn't make much sense to me. "A what?"

"Well, it's like this: your mother complains about the smoke, we argue, we make up… I think you can guess the rest."

Okay, too much info.

After a big sip, more of a gulp really, I decided to ask the question. "I've been meaning to ask you: why have you been so eager to take the doctor's advice? Usually men your age don't exactly change life-long habits over-night."

Dad put the glass down. "Because of your mother, son." He saw my confused expression and continued. "I love Helen more than words can say. I don't want her to have to bury her husband prematurely. And I want to spend as many years as I can with the beauty who, for some unfathomable reason, chose me."

"Did I ever tell you the story of how we met?" he asked.

"Yes, but you can tell it again." I loved to hear that story.

"The first time we met was in high school. Oh man, she was gorgeous. For some reason she wasn't aware of just how beautiful she was. And she was serious about her studies. Did you know she wanted to be an astro-physicist?"

I nodded. God, my parents were such nerds.

We both took a drink and dad continued. "Well, we were in some study groups together, math mostly. We became friends and hung out every now and then. Then when we both got into _MIST_, things changed. You see, before she wasn't too interested in boys, but now she was being hit on constantly. So she went on a few dates. And it _Pissed. Me. Off._ That's when I knew: I wanted to her to be my wife. So when she had broken up with Jerk #3, I asked her out. And the rest is history."

For a moment, my thoughts went back to the girl I had been friends with. At one time, I had also been upset about someone else asking her out. Like father, like son, I guess. But I didn't get the girl. Instead I befriended the guy she'd gone out with. Life's little ironies…

Dad may have been a mathematician, but he could read me like a statistic.

"You know, son, life is short. A cliché, I know, but true, nonetheless. The love of your life doesn't come around very often. When it comes near, you should do everything _possible_," he emphasized the word, "to hold on to it. If you don't, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

Not him, too.

"Dad," I said, trying with my tone to make it as clear as possible - _DAMN!_ - not to go there.

He took the hint and it wasn't brought up again, by him or mom. The three of us talked a bit more, and mom almost didn't let me go until I promised her I'd come back after the reunion ended.

It was still pretty warm out and weather was nice, so I decided to walk and see the old neighborhood.

≈O≈

Like so many times before, my walk from home to MHS took me to the source of all things spicy and delicious: Bueno Nacho. You can't get a decent Naco outside Middleton, so I took the opportunity to taste one made properly. It shouldn't have come as a surprise that the place had changed, all the others had, but I guess I expected more from the birthplace of the _Naco_. The basic layout was the same, but the furniture was all steel and sterile. Damn regulations.

Nevertheless, the overpowering smell of grease and beans still remained. It was almost as good as burped pizza.

As I was looking for a place to sit, a wheelchair caught my eye. It sat empty next to a table, which I couldn't see in because of the high backs in the seats. Trying to be inconspicuous about it, in case it wasn't who I thought was and I didn't want to look like I was staring, I walked closer for a better look. Luckily enough, it was who I thought it was: Felix Renton. And opposite to him sat Josh Mankey.

Felix and Josh, my posse. Barkin was so going to have a nervous breakdown when he saw us walking in together.

"J-man! Wheels!" I greeted them as I set my tray down on the end of the table.

"Ron?" Josh asked looking like he couldn't quite believe I was there.

"The one and only."

"Dude," Felix said, and we tapped fists.

Josh rose and we shook hands and exchanged hugs.

"Felix, what's with the chair? I thought you had some kind of cybernetic leg braces or something."

"Yeah, I do, but I like to take the chair out on occasion. Especially when I know I might need an autopilot."

The last part made me grin. Back in the day, we had gotten so wasted at times, the only one who found his way home was Felix, thanks to his chair driving, or flying, him there; which, maybe, wasn't the best thing, since it usually got him grounded.

Josh sat down and scooted over, making room for me.

"So, Ron, what have you been up to?" Josh asked.

"Nothing much: I've been working as a chef in a restaurant in Go City."

"We always figured you'd end up with a hair net," Felix said.

Josh examined my forehead. "I think I can see the rubber band imprint."

"Hey! At least I don't dress up slobs on national television," I shot back, referring to the reality show he was in. "I still can't believe they brought back that show."

"Speaking of dressing up: what the hell are you wearing?" Felix asked waving his hand at my clothes.

"What? Something wrong with looking like a grown-up?" I said, glancing at the blue jeans and tan suede blazer I was wearing. "We can't all look like we just stepped off the catwalk," I said, waving at Josh. He was wearing a tailored black suit, probably Armoney.

"Hey, I gotta look good, or they might take away my Gay Club membership card."

"They have those?" I voiced my surprise.

Josh burst into laughter. "No. You're so gullible, Ron."

"Now, now, don't be so hasty, Josh. You could start one yourself."

Felix set me up...

"Yeah, but I think they already have a Club Banana."

...and I knocked it down. Just like the old days. Felix laughed and put his fist out and I tapped it with mine.

"Nice," Josh said, nodding appreciatively. He was always a good sport. "Good to see you haven't lost your sense of humor, Stoppable."

"But I still can't get over how... _normal_ you look. What happened to 'Never be normal'?" Felix asked.

"I guess I left it behind when I left Middleton."

"Why'd you leave, anyway? You never really explained it to us, you pretty much vanished after Graduation," Josh asked.

He brought up the subject I had so been trying to avoid, and I went silent. The guys exchanged looks and spoke up in unison: "Kim?"

"Kim," I sighed. Well, it was out, so I might as well tell the full story.

"You guys remember the Diablos Night?"

They nodded.

"In the days leading up to that, I finally realized that I loved Kim. That I was actually in love with her."

"Well you've always been a little slow," Felix ribbed.

He was right. If I'd been smart, I would have made my move after the thing with the Moodulators. Though it probably wouldn't have made any difference, because:

"Anyway, that night, I told her how I felt, and she blew me off. That was just..."

Even after all those years, talking about it hurt. I took a calming breath and continued.

"And after that she was constantly getting more media attention, and a never ending line of suitors. She got so into the fame, I felt like there wasn't room for me anymore. So I quit the team and when I got done with high school, I left."

"Sorry, man," Felix said.

"Whatever happened to her? I haven't heard about her in a long time," Josh wondered.

And that drew another sigh from me. "I guess she didn't feel like keeping up the world saving after her dad died."

"What!?" Josh exclaimed, shocked.

"You didn't hear?" Felix asked Josh, looking surprised that he hadn't heard about it.

"No," Josh replied, still looking a bit shaken.

"Yeah, happened five years ago," I told Josh. "Ironic, really. After coming face to face with all kinds of super villains and weirdos dozens of times, he gets hit by a drunk driver."

"That's messed up."

Not as messed up as the driver was after KP got done with him, _if_ the story was true. It was only a rumor, but I heard that with some help from the officer guarding the prisoners, she had gotten into the driver's cell and worked him over. At first, I hadn't put much stock into it, until the whole Killigan incident. I thought it was best not to mention the rumor to Felix and Josh.

"Was that why she went all postal on Killigan?" Felix asked.

"Probably," I replied. At the time I still had enough contacts that had kept me posted on Kim's exploits, even though I hadn't been too clear on the specifics. She had apparently snapped on one of her missions and beaten Killigan into a bloody pulp with his own golf clubs. The news had just told us she'd used "excessive" force, and that she'd be under special surveillance from then on. After that, even though she took on less missions, the villanous activities had decreased. Probably out of fear. After Kim had stopped going completely, Global Justice figured they'd be better off using force as a deterrant. Since then, they've become nothing more than thugs.

After a few minutes of nibbling on our food in uncomfortable silence, Felix spoke up. "Let's go grab a beer before the reunion," he suggested.

Josh perked up. "I think O'Malley's is still open. And we don't even need the fake Ids anymore."

"Sure, sounds good," I said. A beer sounded real good right about now.

We finished our meals and left the restaurant. Wanting to keep the group together, we decided to take Felix's car, leaving Josh's Ducati at BN. Man, that guy knew how to ride in style. We found O'Malley's in its old spot. The quaint pub ambiance was still as inviting as ever; only, this time, we could enjoy it without the fear of getting caught for using phony identification. I did feel kinda bad about extorting Wade into making those for us, but at the time I was mad at him for peeping on KP through the Kimmunicator.

We ordered beers and found an empty table in the corner. As soon as we sat down, we heard a familiar voice.

"Well, well: if it isn't the delinquents."

Realizing who the voice belonged to, I cringed. The last time I heard it, it left me and the guys with ringing ears from all the yelling. We turned to the voice and saw the bar owner, Mr. Shaughnessy.

"Hey there, Mr. Shaughnessy. Long time no see," I said nervously.

"Two things," he said seriously, "One: you have a lot of nerve showing your faces around here after almost costing me my liquor license."

There were worried faces around the table, as we were all afraid he was going to throw us out. He took a lot of heat when our little "misrepresentation" was discovered. But then he smiled.

"Two: I told you to call me Robert."

There was a collective sigh of relief.

"Good to see you guys. The first round's on me," he said and signaled for the waitress to bring over three pints. Instead of returning to the bar, he went for the old cd jukebox in the corner. He pressed a few buttons, flashed us a smile, and went to the bar.

After only a few power chords, I recognized the song, and looked like Felix and Josh did too. Knowing smiles grew on our lips, and I gave Mr. Shaughnessy a big thumbs up.

_Guess who just got back today?_

_Them wild-eyed boys that had been away_

_Haven't changed, haven't much to say_

_But man, I still think them cats are crazy_

The beers arrived at the table and we raised our glasses. As the chorus started, three glasses collided in a foam-spilling clink. Mothers, lock up your daughters: the boys were back in town.

As I lowered the glass from my lips, I let out an appreciative exhale. The first drink always tasted the best.

"So, Felix. What do you do for a living?" I asked.

"I work at the same cybertronics lab as my mom. The leg braces were actually our invention."

"That's gotta be weird: working with your mom."

"Not really. It's not that different from working with anyone else, other than the embarrassing childhood stories."

Josh and I grimaced.

"That's so wrong," Josh commented.

"Seriously," I said, thinking of how I wouldn't be able to show my face anymore if mom told some of the stories she had about me.

Leaning back on my seat, I took a long drink from my beer. Then, for the first time, I noticed the ring on Felix's finger.

"So, Felix, who's the lucky girl?" I asked.

He began thumbing the ring. This had to be good: the guy looked like the cat that swallowed the whole aviary.

"Vivian Porter."

I almost choked on my beer.

"You hooked up with Viv?!"

Josh looked confused. "Who's Vivian Porter?"

"Only the hottest piece of brain, ever, to get a Ph.D. Though, Mrs. Dr. P. is a close second."

"I heard that," Felix said reaching out his glass, and I touched it with mine.

Josh chuckled and took a drink, and then he turned to me.

"So, what about you, Ron? Seeing anyone special?" he asked.

"Not really," I answered. It was true that I wasn't seeing anyone at the moment, but through the years I'd been in a few relationships. All of them were special in their own way, and I considered myself lucky to have known each of them.

I remember Julie: a lively girl, always smiling. She sang in the shower. I would sometimes listen to her from the bathroom door, especially when she sang _Moon River_. I could almost see her sitting on a window sill, playing a guitar.

And Kristen: one look from her made you feel like a man. She liked attention. But she always made it clear I was number one. When other guys stared at her, she would pull me in a passionate kiss, ignoring their looks. She didn't look back to see the reaction; she kept her eyes on me. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what she saw in me.

Nicole... I loved her snorting laugh. And the way she kept tucking her hair behind her ear. Sometimes I flipped the locks with my finger, just so she would have to tuck them in again.

In a way, I had loved them all, but none of them were… her.

"Oh, come on. I remember you going through almost the entire cheer squad your senior year," Felix said, "and you claim you haven't found anyone?"

"How'd you pull that off anyway? Before that you were basically a social leper," Josh asked.

"Well, it wasn't exactly the whole team. I only went out with Tara, Liz, and Crystal."

"Only? That's, like, third of the team."

"If you want to think about it that way..."

"Spill it: what was your secret?"

"I guess they listened to old wives' tales," I smiled.

When the guys didn't seem to get it, I opened my hand and tilted it from side to side slowly. They seemed to get it shortly afterwards.

"That still doesn't explain everything."

"Well it helped that I got into the football team. And, after Tara, the rest just lined up," I told them. It was a half-truth, but I didn't feel like going into the specifics right then.

"Tara... I really liked her," Josh said.

"Didn't you go out with her?" Felix asked.

"Yeah. That was before I admitted to myself I was gay. She was so sweet, she didn't even get mad at me when I told her. She was nothing but supportive, and she was pretty much the reason I came out."

"I know. I've never felt worse about breaking up with someone, than I did with her," I said and meant every word. Breaking up with Tara was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. But it had to be done; I couldn't string her along when I knew I wasn't in it with my heart.

Josh leaned on the table. "Did anyone else get the feeling she was smarter than she appeared?"

Knowing the truth, I couldn't help but smile.

"Kinda," Felix said. "There was something about the eyes."

I decided to tell the guys. "Remember the time we broke into the principal's office to find out if there really was a permanent record?"

"Sure," Josh said. Felix just went: "Uh-huh."

"Well, I happened to stumble on the SAT scores for the entire school. I checked out my score, and Tara's just happened to be under mine and… let's just say I was the dumb blonde."

"You make it so easy, Stoppable. I have like a hundred zingers to choose from," Josh said.

"Come on, don't leave us hanging. What did she get?" Felix asked.

"2390."

Our table overflowed with spat out beer.

"No way. Mine was only twenty-one forty," Felix said incredulously.

"It's true. Underneath that ditzy blonde exterior was one smart mama," I said. Oddly enough, I felt proud saying that. Don't know why, I wasn't her dad or boyfriend or anything.

"To Tara," I said, raising my glass.

"To Tara," the guys said, and we clinked glasses.

After taking a drink, Josh looked at his glass that was almost empty, like the rest of ours. He motioned for the waitress.

"Why don't we get one more round of beers," he said. We agreed. The waitress appeared next to him: a pretty long-haired brunette. She was wearing a classic barmaid outfit that really brought out her... eyes.

"Three beers, please." She nodded and went to the bar. The short skirt really showed off her killer legs, which I couldn't help but watch as she went, and I noticed Felix doing the same thing.

"You're a married man, remember?" I told him.

"Married, but not dead," he said as he slowly tore his eyes from the leggy brunette.

She returned shortly with three full glasses on the tray. She set them down on the table and Josh put his credit card on the tray. "Put it on this. This round's on me, guys."

Thinking I might as well try to have some fun tonight, I decided take a shot at the waitress. "Hey, Gorgeous: if you're not too busy tonight, there's this shindig we're going to. Wanna tag along?"

"Sorry, I have to work all night," she said as she collected our empty glasses. She was just about to leave when she turned back. "But if you can, look me up after - cutie," she said, smiling at me, before she continued walking away.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Felix jabbed me in the arm. "Stoppable's unstoppable."

The night was definitely looking up.

After a few more toasts and catching up, we left the pub and headed for the Reunion.

* * *

_to be continued..._

AN: I'm aware that _Last Chance, CO_, doesn't have an airport. I chose the town by the name and decided to go with it despite the lack of said facility.


	2. Chapter 2

**THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN**

_Chapter 2  
_

≈O≈

We pushed through the gym doors, and I saw there were already a lot of people present. As I turned to the guys, I saw Josh at the abandoned check-in table, rifling through the name tags that were still left. After finding the right ones, he handed me and Felix ours.

Felix and Josh were already scanning the crowd, but I just couldn't help myself. I went back to the table and searched the tags for one in particular. And there it was, with her name and yearbook picture. Well, kinda: some joker had apparently thought it'd be funny to use Chippy's picture. Anyway, it meant she wasn't here yet.

"Dude, don't do that to yourself," Felix said and snatched the tag from my hands with one his chair's mechanical arms, dropping it back on the table.

"Yeah, you gotta stop pining for her," Josh said and tried to snap me out of it: "Come on, let's party."

"Not so fast," came a booming voice from behind us, making us all whip around.

"M-Mr. Barkin," I stammered.

"Hey there, Mr. B," Josh said jovially.

Mr. Barkin hadn't changed one bit. His posture was stiff as ever, with his broad shoulders straining the seams of the off-the-rack blazer he always seemed to wear. Even his khakis were the same color. If it wasn't for the graying hair, I could have sworn I was back in high school.

"Aren't you miscreants missing community service?" the former vice-principal asked. I heard he'd since been promoted principal.

Felix held up his hands. "Whoa, Mr. B, let bygones be bygones. We're upstanding citizens now."

"Why do I find that hard to believe?" Barkin asked, rhetorically, and continued before we could answer: "I'm watching you three. Don't do anything stupid."

He turned around and walked away. That man could really hold a grudge. We only trashed his office once.

"You think he's still mad about us filling his office with manure?" Josh wondered.

"Nah," Felix waved his hand.

Finally, Josh scouted the punch bowl and directed us there.

We noticed someone was in front of us at the bowl. All of us recognized her right away: there was no mistaking that wavy golden blond hair. Felix and Josh were readying to greet the blonde before I stopped them; I had an idea and whispered it to the guys. They were up for it, especially Felix.

It was good to see Vivian hadn't drained the man out of him...so to speak...

Josh and I snuck up behind her and then flanked the blonde. Felix ran his wheelchair into her, causing her to lose her balance and fall backwards onto his lap with a yelp. We stood in front of them and took a menacing tone.

"We have you now, Mr. Blond."

Her startled expression soon changed into a delighted smile.

Man, I loved that smile.

"Oh. My. God. Guys!" Tara squealed.

"Tara!"

"Can I drive you somewhere, Miss Daisy?" Felix said.

"Felix!" she exclaimed and kissed him on the cheek.

"Hey," I said, trying to make it look like I was faking my disappointment, "where's my kiss?" I tapped my cheek.

She reached out her arms, motioning with her fingers to come closer. Eagerly, I leaned in and received my peck on the cheek. Josh almost knocked me over getting to Tara, eliciting a giggle from her. Now that we had had our sugar fix, we prepared to help her up. Josh and I took her arms and pulled her up. Felix got the best part: he pushed her from behind. The bulge in her stomach caught our attention.

"You're... pregnant?" Josh asked.

"Mm-hmm. First one," she admitted, rubbing her belly happily.

"Okay, who's the lucky bastard, and where can I find him so I can kill him?" I asked.

She swatted me on the shoulder. "Ron! For your information, Brick makes me very happy. So, no killee my Brickie," she giggled.

The three us of looked at each other. "Brick?" we all said.

"As in Brick Flagg?" I asked.

"Yeah; funny story really. Well, not funny ha-ha, but... You guys know about his accident, right?"

We nodded. Everybody knew about it. He had been drafted into the NFL, and he was apparently very good: he won the Rookie of the Year Award. But he had busted his knee only a few games into his second season. It ended his career. I hadn't heard anything about him after that.

"After he injured his knee, he went into selling drywall with his dad. We met when my then-fiancé and I were building a house and our contractor bought supplies from them. Then when I found out he was cheating on me, Brick offered his shoulder to cry on. And one thing led to another..."

"Well, congratulations. Pregnancy really suits you. You're positively radiant," Josh said.

"Yeah, you're practically glowing," Felix agreed.

I had to agree with the guys. I'd never seen her that beautiful or happy, and she always was both those things.

"Thanks, guys," she said, and gave us that million megawatt smile. If she weren't married, and I wasn't still carrying a torch...

"Well, I think I'll go and see if Brick's done butting heads with his old buddies. I'll talk to you guys later."

We all hated to see her leave, but, at least Felix and I, loved to watch her go.

"That was a close one," Felix said.

Not being quite sure what he meant by that, I shot him a questioning look, and saw Josh doing the same.

"I was going to spike the punch, but good thing I didn't."

Now we were talking. "You still have the 'Party Starter'?" I asked hopefully. No party was complete without the 'Party Starter'.

"Of course."

I took an empty plastic cup from the table and filled it two thirds full. "Hit me."

Felix pushed a button and a small tube snaked out from the arm rest of his chair and squirted clear liquid into my cup.

"Thanks," I said and swirled the drink a little. "I'm gonna make some rounds."

The guys went their separate ways, and I began circling the area, taking in the scene. Just like in any party, there were people mingling and getting reacquainted. Nothing too thrilling - I'd seen better, I'd seen worse. A few old acquaintances traded a few words, but mostly I kept my distance.

There weren't too many people I was interested in, and vice-versa. Liz went out of her way to avoid me, which didn't surprise me. I was half-expecting her to come up and throw her drink in my face.

Then, there was Crystal. She was showing off some piece of arm candy, who looked like he had more brawn than brains. It would have been fun to go say hi, but knowing us, we'd end up in the nearest closet, and I really didn't feel like getting beaten by an angry boyfriend.

Then I ran into Bonnie. It was a surprising sight as her dress was more toned down than I would have expected. Instead of wearing something that clung to her every curve and showed an inappropriate amount of cleavage, she was actually wearing an understated black dress that reached all the way to her ankles. It didn't make her any less gorgeous; that girl could put on a burlap sack, and would still be hotter than a pair of speakers bought off the back of a van.

Bonnie was talking to Reger. Back in high school, the only reason she'd have talked to the guy was to mock him or if she wanted something. Now she seemed to be a little on her toes, almost humble. And I was sure I'd only had a couple beers.

"BonBon," I teased and smiled.

"R-ron," she stammered. Had Felix slipped something in my drink?

"Ron," I nodded at Reger.

"Ron," he acknowledged back.

"Still a geek?" I asked, and heard Bonnie gasp. From the corner of my eye I could see her glaring at me.

"Pretty much. Still a freak?" Reger shot back without missing a beat. Bonnie looked very uncomfortable.

"Pretty much."

"You two are awful!" Bonnie scolded us.

"We've been called worse. Mostly by you," I said to Bonnie. I was only joking, but she looked like I had stabbed her in the heart. Any other time I would have said sorry on the spot. I guess there was some pent up feelings of resentment left from when she used to make life so difficult for me and pretty much anyone I knew. A part of me was kinda glad and even proud to have been able get to her.

Still, being so easily affected wasn't like the Bonnie I knew and I told her so.

"Well, a lot's happened since then. I'm not the person you knew in high school. I've changed."

"If I had a nickel every time I heard that."

"I know I was a bitch in high school, I can't change that. But it would mean a lot to me if you could accept my apology and forgive me for all the crummy things I did. I really am sorry."

My problem with her wasn't personal. I never took what she said seriously, but I knew many who did, and because of that had been miserable.

"No worries, Bonnie. I forgive you," Reger said. He seemed to notice something behind us. "Sorry, I gotta go. Catch you guys later."

I watched him walk off and join a small group and put his arm around a familiar looking woman. She looked like the girl that always wore blue, I could never remember her name. I turned back to Bonnie.

"The thing is," she continued, "I learned the hard way that Queen Bonnie didn't have a place in the real world. At first, it seemed like I could always get my way, but it didn't last. Every bad thing I said and did came back and bit me on the ass. After the second job I had to quit because life there had become too difficult, I had to do some hard thinking."

"So that's when you made a change?"

"Hell, no. I was stubborn and convinced that it was all just bad luck. But then I met my husband." Bonnie actually smiled when she mentioned him. There was something wistful in the way she said it though.

"There was just something in the way he did and said things that got through to me. He really turned my life around. And when my son was born, well, that really was the final nail in the coffin of Queen B."

"Sounds like a helluva guy. I'd sure like to meet the guy who tamed the shrew."

"I'd like nothing more than have you two meet," Bonnie said. Though she smiled, a tear escaped from the corner of her eye. "He.. he died a year ago."

My brain slammed the Bonnie-bashing file shut. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"That's okay, no reason why you should have. I almost didn't come here tonight, but this was something we talked about, while I was pregnant, and agreed I needed to do. This is as much for him as it is for me."

Despite our history, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Even she didn't deserve to lose her husband, not to mention having to raise her kid without a father. She deserved her absolution.

"Bonnie, I-"

She looked away. "You really don't need to say anything-"

"Bonnie, hear me out. I know we haven't always seen eye to eye-

"That's an understatement," she interjected.

"-and I was all ready to blow you off. But I.."

Damn, I was always bad at stuff like this. I really had to struggle to find the words.

"Look, you've been dealt some crappy cards. Crappier than you deserve. Whatever you did, or think you did, you've paid for that. And then some." I had to take a steadying breath. "What I'm trying to say is that.. I forgive you."

"You really mean that?"

"Yeah, I do. We're good."

She surprised me by suddenly hugging me. Not that I minded, but I felt awkward because I didn't know how I should react.

"Uh, Bonnie?"

She pulled back looking a little embarrassed. "Sorry. You just reminded me a little of Joel."

I rubbed the back of my neck, a nervous habit of mine. "No big."

"Well, I guess I should move on. More pride to swallow, people to grovel to," Bonnie said.

"I'll catch you later. And Bonnie," I said as she was leaving, and she turned back. "You deserve to be happy. Don't let anyone tell you different."

She smiled. "Thanks, Ron." She walked away, continuing her quest for redemption. I couldn't imagine how much strength and courage that must have taken.

As I started looking around the room again, I suddenly realized how hungry I was. The buffet table called to me, and I became snackage bound. Almost there, I saw Crystal was there by herself. This could get interesting...

"Hi, Crystal," I said as stepped next to her, grabbing an empty plate.

She glanced at me and returned to filling her plate. "Hi, Ron," she said.

"How've you been?" I asked her, scooping up some macaroni salad. My eyes strayed from the table and traveled down her body, as the maroon dress did nothing to hide her curves. I was already imagining what kind of panties she was wearing, if any. Maybe some frilly, lacy ones, or a thong, or perhaps basic white cotton panties, those were always curiously nice and naughty at the same time.

"Good. You?"

"Good. Who's the beefcake?"

"Just someone I picked up for the event. Done with the small talk?"

"So done."

We never were any good at foreplay.

Unceremoniously, we dropped our plates on the table and I let her lead me to the equipment storeroom. Someone had been thoughtful (or thoughtless) enough to place two tall poster stands in front of the door, so anyone could sneak in and out without being noticed.

We ended up refreshing some memories on the pommel horse. You can get into some really freaky positions on that thing, though Crystal's dress prevented us from getting into some of the more fun ones. The activity pointed out how well we still played together. Too bad it was only physical; we didn't get along too well otherwise.

Crystal... she was my first. It all happened shortly after the Diablos incident. Me and Kim were already drifting apart and there had started to be some dissent in the ranks of the cheersquad, mainly pointed at Bonnie and her strict adherence to the food chain. Just to stick it to Bonnie, Crystal had asked me out – well more like grabbed my hand and dragged me off without an explanation. Although at first I was very taken with the attention, it wasn't very long before even a dimwit like me realized that it had very little to do with her feelings toward me.

Then, after another heated argument with Bonnie, Crystal had her way with me. There was no other way to put it. She came over when my parents weren't there, and pretty much ripped off my clothes on the spot. For a first time – I don't know if it was for her, she never told me and I never asked – it was pretty damn amazing. For all we lacked in verbal communication, we made up with the physical. Our "relationship", if you can call it that, didn't last long, but it was torrid... torrid I tells ya! Some of the things we did – and the places we did them in – still makes me blush.

Which brings me back here. If this pommel horse could talk. poor, poor silent horse...or was it the lucky one.

After we were done, we cleaned ourselves off.

"Maybe in the next reunion we'll give those parallel bars a try," I said as I tucked in my shirt.

Crystal stepped up to me with a mischievous smile on her lips, and placed something on my shoulder. "The night is still young, Ron," she said suggestively. As she walked away, I felt my shoulder, and found Crystal's panties sitting there. The look she gave me before she left the room told me I could be in for a second round later.

_Let's see the guys top this,_ I thought as I stuck the undergarment - sheer black lace, by the way - in my breast pocket and exited the room.

Once again I was trolling the hall. Felix was chatting up two hotties, possibly Hope and Marcella, I couldn't be sure. I couldn't see Josh anywhere - no, there he was, talking to Crystal's date. They seemed to be getting very friendly – _hmm..._

Anyway, I went to Felix for a refill.

"Hey, girls," I greeted the attractive brunettes on Felix's side. They looked at me and started giggling.

"Dude," Felix said and pointed to my groin. Part of my shirt was sticking out the zipper.

"Oh, crap," I blurted and fixed myself. "Oops. A little bathroom mishap," I told them, probably grinning like a fool.

"Ron, you remember Hope and Marcella?"

"Of course, how could I not?" I said and took their hands, kissing each of them in turn, trying to repair the first impression.

"Oh, my. I didn't remember you being such a charmer," Hope giggled.

Marcella looked at Hope with a mixture of amusement and distaste. "Scratch her behind the ear and she's yours," she said wryly.

"Marce!"

"So Ron," Marcella turned to me, "you and Possible tie the knot yet? Got your two and a half kids?"

My patience was starting to run thin. How many times did I have to go through that? "Why does everyone think my life revolves around Kim?" I snapped.

"Ron, I'm sure she didn't mean-" Hope started, but Marcella interrupted her.

"Maybe it's because you spent every waking moment with her in high school."

"Well, I'm not in high school anymore."

Felix stepped in. "Let's all just calm down and-"

"Sorry, Felix, I have to go," I said to him and walked off. Behind me, I could hear Marcella ask: "What's his problem?"

Man, why was this bothering me so much? And couldn't I go one conversation without people asking about KP? It's like the whole world had gotten together to be pains in my ass.

And then it hit the fan. I bumped into Monique - literally.

"Hey, watch it-" Monique said as she whipped around. She stopped when she recognized me. "Well, looky what we got here..."

"Hi, Monique."

"Don't 'Hi Monique' me. You've got some nerve showing your face here, Ronald Stoppable." I knew I was in trouble when she used both my names.

"What crawled up your ass?"

"Say _what_?" She flipped her head and pulled out the 'finger,' wagging it in my face. "Don't even pretend you don't know what I'm talking about."

"I don't have a damn clue. All I did was bump into you and you bit my head off."

"Okay, then let me enlighten you. Do you have any idea how long it took for Kim to get over you leaving town without saying a word, and leaving her on her own?"

"That's a load of crap. She didn't need me, probably didn't even notice I was gone."

"Of course she did! You were the reason she was able to deal with all the crap thrown at her. After you left, she had no one to support her. God knows I tried, but I wasn't you, Ron. She needed _you_."

That couldn't be right. When I left, she barely spared me a moment. She was constantly giving interviews and fending off advances from guys way hotter than me. She couldn't have-

The room had gotten awfully quiet. I looked around and noticed that we were gathering an audience.

"Can we go outside and talk. Everyone's looking at us."

"Everyone should mind their own business!" Monique burst, glaring around.

"Please, let's just step outside."

She agreed, and we left the gym with everyone trying to look like they weren't looking.

"Okay, we're out," Monique snarled. "Give me one reason I shouldn't crack your nuts."

"Look, Monique, when I left, I didn't think she cared anymore."

"You really are a stupid son of a bitch, you know that. Of course she cared."

My nerves needed some serious soothing, so I stepped past Monique and sat on the bench that sat on the side of the roofed walkway that connected the gym to the school building. I pulled out a pack of smokes from my breast pocket, and lit up.

This place was bad for my health.

I took a drag. "So, how's she doing?" I asked, expelling the smoke.

"You smoke?" Monique asked in complete amazement.

"Bite me."

Monique sat next to me and took one of my cigarettes. With the smoke between her lips, she leaned forward and I gave her a light with mine. Before pulling back she noticed something, and reached out fishing out something from under my coat. Black panties dangled from her finger.

"Let me guess: Crystal?"

"We brushed up on our gymnastics."

"You two are like horny dogs."

"Monique: Kim?"

She stuffed the panties back into my pocket, leaned back resting her elbow on the back of the bench, and drew on her cigarette.

"She claims she's fine."

"But you don't believe her?"

"That girl is stretched so thin she could break any second. Did you hear about her mom?"

"She didn't die, did she?"

"No, nothing like that," Monique took a long drag, "But it probably would have been better for Kim if she had. She took her husband's death really hard. She got really depressed, and now she can barely get out of bed. Kim's been taking care of her by herself."

I just sat there in guilt-ridden silence as Monique finished her cigarette. "I hope you found what you were looking for, Ron," she said and stood up. "Or both of you suffered for nothing," she added over her shoulder as she walked off and back into the gym.

And there I sat until Felix and Josh came out and persuaded me to hit the town. They didn't have to try too hard as I desperately needed the diversion.

≈O≈

The three of us owned the streets. The sidewalk didn't seem wide enough as we strode on, laughing and talking loudly, taking turns taking swigs from the flask Josh had filled with vodka and cranberry juice. We were the very personification of boys out on the town. As we were horsing around we passed a 24-hour grocery store just as one of its patrons exited and brushed past us, bumping me on the shoulder.

Seeing the person was a woman, I called to her. "Hey, baby. Instead of bumping shoulders, you wanna bump uglies?"

Hey, I was drunk.

She stopped, turning her head slightly, like she was about to chew my ass off. She said nothing and continued on her way. But I thought I recognized the profile.

"Kim?" I called.

She stopped. Slowly she turned around. It was Kim. My legs went on autopilot and carried me to her, bringing us face to face.

We just stared at each other. I had no words. I mean, what do you say to someone you love and haven't seen in ten years? Hey?

The silence gave me time to study her more closely. The burdens of her life were stamped clearly on her face. She looked older. A lot older. And tired. Like she had lived out her entire life already. The sparkle had gone from her eyes, replaced with sadness, too much sadness. Her hair was shorter, falling just below her ears.

Regardless, she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

"Hey," I said finally.

_You couldn't come up with anything else?_

"Hey," she said quietly.

"So.. Shopping for food?"

_Aargh! This is the woman you love! Is that all you can think of?_

"Yeah."

"Can I help you with those bags?"

She glanced down at the grocery bags and seemed to hesitate for a moment. "You really don't have to-"

"Please... Let me carry the other one at least. We can walk and talk."

Finally, she gave in and turned one of the bags toward me. I took it in my arms. Kim brushed her hair behind her ear with her freed hand. I remembered the guys and glanced at them. They had retreated to a distance, and waved me to go ahead. I loved those guys. Kim and I started walking down the street.

"So how've you been?" I asked.

"Good. You?"

"Good... You cut your hair."

She brushed her hair back behind her ear. "Yeah... It's easier to manage. I don't have a lot of time to focus on my hair these days."

"Looks good," I said. I missed her longer, flippy hair, but the short hair was kinda cute, too.

"Thanks."

"I was really sorry to hear about your dad. I really liked him."

She said nothing.

"Monique told me about your mom. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Why are you here, Ron?" she asked abruptly. She wasn't making eye contact with me, she just stared straight ahead.

"I'm helping you carry-"

"I mean, why are you in Middleton? I haven't seen you in years."

"I came for the reunion."

"Oh. I forgot about that."

"How can you forget about your high school reunion?"

"I've been a little busy, Ron," she snapped.

I had no comeback. She was right; with the way her life had been, she couldn't be expected to think about things like reunions. Remembering the conversation with Monique, I just couldn't keep up the polite façade; I had to get the 411.

"KP: How are you, really? I know you're not good."

Kim stopped in her tracks and faced me. Her previously dulled eyes now burned with undirected anger.

"No, Ron, I'm not good. My dad is dead, and mom might as well be. I can't have a life of my own, because I have to take care of mom." This was not the Kim I knew. In her anger, I saw the desperation. I saw the effort she made to keep herself from tearing up. "So, no, I'm not good."

"What about Jim and Tim?"

"I told them to go on with their lives, that I could handle things at home. They don't know how bad it really is."

"Don't you think they have a right to know?"

"They shouldn't have to sacrifice their lives for this."

"But you do?"

"That's what I do!" she almost yelled. "I save lives. And now, I'm saving theirs."

"Let me help. Let me do something."

"How can you help!? Feed mom her meds? Hold her when she can't stop crying?" she was practically screaming, and tears ran down her face.

"I can barely afford to buy us food, not to mention medicine. All I have for income is mom's pension."

"I can, if you let me," I said.

"Why!? Why would you!? Why do you want to help now? Where were you when I needed you? Where were you when Dad died? You weren't even here for his funeral! "

"But, I was! I was there," I came back, and I instantly regretted it.

"You... you were there? So it was you! I called to you."

"I know, I heard. I just couldn't... I just couldn't face you."

"Why? I needed you. I needed you to be there for me."

"Because I still loved you!" I blurted. "I couldn't take the pain of being so close to you and not having you."

She just stood there, silent, a confused expession on her face.

"Wh- what?" she finally asked.

That one caught me off-guard. Didn't she know? Was it possible she didn't know?

"I told you: I loved you. And you blew me off."

"I... I didn't know you meant yourself."

"Who did you think I meant?"

"I… But… then: why did you leave?"

"I told you. I loved you. Do you know how painful it was to be ignored for the spotlight and all those hotties flocking around you?"

"But I wasn't ignoring you!" she cried out desperately. "I was just so overwhelmed by all the attention."

And there it was. Monique was right. God, what an idiot I'd been!

"Can we… can we start over?" I asked hopefully, though perhaps a bit too hastily. But I just couldn't think of anything else than that maybe, just maybe, we still had a chance.

"It's... too late, Ron. It's just too late," she said, pulling the grocery bag from my arms.

"But it's not. We can make it work," I said with a hint of desperation to her turned back.

"You told me you love me," she said, still facing away from me. She glanced over her shoulder. "I don't know if I love you."

"Go home, Ron," she said, and she started to walk away.

"KP."

"Go home."

I watched her walk away, vanish into the night and from my life. That flickering flame had flared up and burned my insides - again. The four-letter word echoed in the empty streets as I let out my frustration.

I really needed a drink. I headed to O'Malley's...again.

* * *

_to be continued..._


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Sigh.. I've waited for this moment for something like a year and a half. The story is out, and the reception has been better than I had dared to dream. I'd like to thank everyone who have read and reviewed the story. The biggest thanks goes to _cpneb_ - your help and support means the world to me.

* * *

**The Boys Are Back In Town**

_Chapter 3_

≈O≈

"Scotch, double, straight up."

The drink landed in front of me; I emptied it with one gulp. I ordered another one, prepared to drink it, but put it back down.

All I could hear in my head was Kim telling me that she didn't know if she loved me. I never thought words could hurt that much. After all we've been through, she couldn't even give me a chance?

_Fine, stay cooped up in your house with your mom. See if I care._

...but I did care. Even now, frustrated as hell, I couldn't stop wondering how she was doing.

_Man, I hope she's okay._

≈O≈

Kim stepped behind her mother's bedroom door, holding a tray of food. She knocked on the door. There was no answer. Balancing the tray on one hand, she opened the door with the other. She found her mother lying on the bed, staring out the window. The only light on was the bedside lamp.

Dr. Anne Possible's appearance was a far cry from the beautiful, well-groomed professional she had once been. The pride she had taken of her appearance, she had long since lost, and now she lay in her bed in her night gown, unkempt, her hair a disheveled mess.

"Mom. I brought you supper," Kim said and sat on the chair beside the bed.

Mrs. Possible turned her head slowly. "I'm not hungry," she said, her voice a listless shadow of its former aural luster. She turned back to staring out the window.

"Please, mom," Kim insisted, "you have to eat. You haven't eaten a decent meal in days."

"I'm not hungry," she repeated, a spirit-crushing emptiness in her voice.

Kim sighed and stood up. She placed the tray on the chair and turned to the bed.

"I'll be downstairs if you need me. Try to eat something, please," she said and leaned in to kiss her forehead. Most nights Kim would stay with her mother and brush her hair while trying to converse with her. Today, however, she just didn't have the strength.

Kim walked out of the room and down the stairs. She went into the living room and turned on the stereo. The peppy bubblegum pop pouring out of the speakers was completely out of place in the oppressive atmosphere of the house. She picked up a magazine and sat on the couch. But all she did was stare at the magazine. The pages began to crumple between her fingers as she struggled to keep her composure.

Finally she just couldn't hold back anymore. She burst into tears, crying out in long, miserable wails. The burden of having to give up her life for taking care of her mother and having to see her in this sorry state, day after day, was weighing heavier on her each passing day. And the only outlet she had was crying.

She cried a lot.

≈O≈

I downed the drink and ordered a new one. The brunette waitress I had made a move on earlier took the order. "Slow down, big boy," she said as she picked the bottle from under the counter and filled a glass.

"Just do your job and pour," I snapped. Who was she to tell me how I should drink?

"Jerk," she huffed and dropped the glass in front of me, splashing some of its contents on the counter.

Uninterested, I picked up the glass. Before I could drink that one, Felix and Josh appeared at my sides.

"So, what happened?" Josh asked.

The look I gave him told him all he needed to know.

"That bad?"

"She did it again. She blew me off." The words tasted bitter in my mouth.

"I'm sorry, man. But it's her loss if she can't recognize a good thing when it's right in front of her face."

I said nothing. Not that I didn't appreciate their efforts, I just wasn't very cheer-uppable at the moment.

"Let's go back to the reunion and get you laid. How about Liz, she liked you?" Felix suggested.

I snorted. "Are you kidding? After the way I treated her?"

"I know you two had a fight, but that was ten years ago."

"Didn't you see how she was avoiding me the whole time we were at the reunion? It wasn't just a fight." I looked away and stared down the amber depths of my whisky-filled glass. "I used her. She was just a substitute for Kim. One time I even accidentally called her Kim on a date."

"And you still have your family jewels in one piece? You got off light," Josh said. He was right. Liz could - and should - have done more than just dress me down in a crowded school hallway. If only I could go back and-

"Hey, faggot!" someone shouted from the back of the bar.

Big mistake.

"I'm talking to you, faggot! Why don't you go back to your rump ranger buddies and play dress-up?"

A small smile tucked at my lips. I was pissed off before, but now... now, I was mad as hell. So, why was I smiling?

Because I'd get to vent.

"Don't do it, Ron," Josh pleaded.

Back in high school I may not have had many friends, but I was fiercely loyal and protective of the ones I did have. After Josh's coming out, we had more than a few fights as a result of someone bringing up his orientation as a negative.

Against all odds, Josh and Felix were probably my favorite people in High School, well except for... Anyway, people often wondered how I ended up friends with Mankey. True, we weren't always friends. I made a big fuss to KP about how his name was suspiciously close to "monkey", but that was because I saw him as a threat. Then, he started seeing Tara. After that, all we needed to seal our friendship were coinciding rebellious phases and a raided liquor cabinet.

With warm fuzzy thoughts of doing some violence in my mind, I turned to the voice. I saw a group of four, dressed in Global Justice uniforms, sitting around a table.

Enforcers - bullies of the worst kind. A little power and they thought they owned the place. Not only did they need to pay for insulting my friend, they also needed a reality check.

"You care to repeat that?" I said menacingly.

"Oh, did I hurt your boyfriend's feelings?" one of them mocked.

"No. You just degraded him, yourself, and the entire human race. Good job."

"Why don't you go suck each other off before we-"

"Before you climb back up the tree you came down from and fling your crap at each other?"

There were loud scraping noises as all four rose up pushing back their chairs.

"Please guys, you promised no more fights in my bar," Mr. Shaughnessy pleaded.

"Don't worry, Bob. We'll pay for the damages," I said. Between me, Josh, and Felix, any damages done to the bar wouldn't make a sizable scratch in any of our wallets.

The ringleader was all up in my face. "You think you're a big shot?"

"No. But at least I'm not a homophobic closet-case in a leotard."

The guy threw a punch. I blocked him with my left arm, easily. I hit him in the gut and he doubled over. The other three came at us. Two thick cable-like extensions shot out of Felix's chair and wrapped around two of them. Josh dodged a blow and looped the guy's head under his arm. He started to pound the guy's face with his free fist.

The guy I hit started to recover and rushed at me wrapping his arms around my midsection. We went down. A third arm came out of Felix's chair. It was intended for grabbing things, but now it made for a decent artificial fist and it started smacking around the two thugs suspended in air.

The guy that knocked me down got on top of me. He swung at me with his right. I raised my left arm and blocked it. But I wasn't able to block the left one; he hit me right on the cheekbone leaving a nasty bruise. I was a little dazed, but recovered quickly and I grabbed his head and butted his nose with my forehead. A spray of blood splashed on my face and some of it dripped on my shirt. The guy held his nose and I pushed him off of me.

Josh's opponent had been able to wrench himself out of his grip and ran at Felix. He saw him coming and threw one of the men in his grip into the table they had been sitting at. Felix got a punch, and released the controls. The second man dropped to the ground. The first man was out cold, lying on the collapsed table. Josh came up behind the man that had hit Felix. He wrapped his left arm around the man's neck, placing his hand on his right bicep, his right hand pressing on the back of the man's neck. With his opponent's head caught in a scissor grip, Josh started to squeeze.

I stood up and staggered a little. My opponent was still lying down, holding his nose. I kicked him on his side. I turned to look how my friends were doing. Josh had his guy in a strangle hold, but one of the guys was getting up and looked at Felix. We sprang into motion at the same time. But he was closer; he was at Felix before me. Luckily Felix hadn't overlooked his arm exercises just because he had all sorts of gadgets to help him. Sure of his victory, the man was surprised when Felix grabbed his wrist in an iron grip, and shortly his neck. The man dropped to his knees, trying to remove the hand squeezing his throat with his free hand.

I turned back to my guy. He was trying to get up. I ran at him and hit him in the gut. He dropped to his knees. "Tell Betty: Ron says 'hi'," I said and punched him on the chin. He fell and stayed down. He was unconscious.

Just as I turned to Josh, his opponent dropped to the ground, unconscious.

We both looked at Felix. He relinquished his guy from the choke hold. The guy coughed and took deep breaths, just before being knocked down by a right from Felix.

We surveyed the room. All four guys were down.

I walked to the bar, and reached for my wallet. "I'll pay for the table, Bob."

"Don't worry about the table, Ronald. Just make yourselves scarce before I call Fascists, Incorporated to pick up their trash."

"And, Ron," he continued just as we started to leave. "You're a good boy, I've always liked you. Whatever it is you've been carrying around all these years... you've got to move on. You can't run from your past, but you can't live in it either. The now is what matters. Remember that."

"I will. Thanks, Bob."

We bid the bar-keeper farewell and hit the streets again. Thinking of no place else to go the guys insisted we go back to the reunion. I really didn't feel like going, but what choice did I have? I promised my parents I'd visit after the affair was over, but there was no way I was going to let them see me in this condition. So, the reunion it was.

As soon as I got through the gym door, I went straight for the punch.

≈O≈

Monique watched Ron rush to the punch bowl as she went to Felix and Josh.

"Hey, guys. What's with Ron?" Monique asked. Then she got a better look of them. "And what happened to you?"

"He ran into Kim," Felix said.

She stared at the bruised men incredulously. "Kim did that?"

"No, we got into a fight afterwards."

"So, I take it things didn't go so smoothly between Kim and Ron."

"You could say that," Josh said with a wry smile.

Monique sighed. As mad as she was at Ron for running away, she realized that unless she did something to break the cycle, both Kim and Ron were going to stay miserable.

She pulled out her phone.

"Who are you going to call?" Josh asked, wincing mentally at the phrase that couldn't be taken seriously ever since that movie.

"Ghostbusters," Monique dead-panned and pushed the speed dial for Kim.

She stepped out the gym doors while waiting for her friend to answer.

"_Hello?" _Kim answered. Her voice was quiet, hoarse.

"Kim, it's Monique. So, what happened?"

Kim sniffled._ "With what?"_

"You know what I mean: with Ron."

There was a long silence, and Monique was just about to reiterate when Kim spoke up._ "He told me he loves me."_

"He did? Well it's about time."

"_What do you mean? You knew?"_

"Kim - everybody knew."

Silence.

"Kim?"

"_Why didn't anyone tell me? Why did I have to find out like this, when it's too late?"_

"I... I thought you knew. And what do you mean, too late? You're alive, he's alive. You're available, he's available."

"_..."_

"I know you're thinking about it. Now throw on a dress and get your butt down here, the party ain't over yet."

There was a brief silence, which Monique took as good sign: at least the girl didn't refuse outright.

"_What about Mom? I can't leave her alone."_

"I can watch her."

"_I can't ask you to do that."_

"Nonsense. I'm coming over, so you'll better get dressed up and ready to go or I'll have to call Will Du to drag you out."

"Monique, that was not cool," Kim said in a quiet, serious tone.

Monique winced. She should have known better than to bring him up.

"Sorry, it just slipped out. Are we cool?"

"Yeah," Kim sighed.

"Good. Anyway, I'm coming over, so get ready."

Monique hung up the phone and stepped back in the gym. She tracked down Felix and Josh, and told them to keep Ron there, no matter what. After that she went to her car and drove off.

She had to pick up a girl for a dance.

≈O≈

What the heck was up with the guys? They had been on me like green on Shego since we got back. They almost didn't let me go to the bathroom. Even now Josh seemed to stick around just to keep me busy. Felix I saw cozying up to a group of people I figured were in charge of organizing this little soiree.

I was already planning my escape when a loud voice startled me. "Alright, people, listen _UP_!" Barkin roared in his usual military manner. The crowd settled down and turned to the stage. "As per tradition, we're having yet another popularity contest. And here to reveal the outcome, is Danielle Francoeur." As Barkin withdrew into the background, the woman I had only known as "the girl in blue" stepped up to the microphone.

"Actually, it's Francoeur-Reger now," she corrected. "Good evening everyone. I trust you've all been having a good time?" she said, receiving some applause and cheers in response. While Josh's attention was drawn to the stage, I began eyeing the exit.

"Okay, it's now time to crown the King and Queen of the Reunion."

As the crowd cheered, I started sneaking towards the exit.

"Drum roll please," she requested. The house band drummer began working the snare.

"Class of 2007, the man you have chosen to be your King is..."

No one paid any attention to me as I took the last steps towards the door and grabbed the handle.

"...Ron Stoppable!?" came the surprised announcement. Danielle sounded as shocked as I was.

For a while I had no idea what was going on. I turned on reflex upon hearing my name, and the crowd looked around, one by one stopping on me as they noticed me. The spotlight operator finally picked me up.

There I stood, like a deer in headlights, trying to decide if I should bail or suck it up and get on stage to accept the honor.

The choice was taken out of my hands as I was jerked forward by Felix's mechanical hands, and before I had a chance to fight back, I was placed on the stage.

"O....kay," Danielle said as she watched me land on stage. After I was crowned with a cheap plastic crown, she turned back to the crowd. "And now, we'll announce the Queen. And your Queen is... Tara Flagg!"

At least they got that one right.

The crowd exploded in cheers and kept going until Tara had walked up on stage. As she was being crowned, she took a look at me, and gasped. "Ron, what happened to you?"

"Don't ask," I said as gently as I could.

Before she could pry any further, Danielle spoke up. "Would the King address his loyal subjects?"

I took a few hesitant steps towards the mike. Even as I grabbed the handle, I had no idea what to say.

"Well, thank you all who voted for me. And thanks to Felix and Josh, who were backstage stuffing the ballot box."

I was only joking, but the awkward laughs made me think some of them weren't convinced it was a joke. With the alcohol doing its thing on my inhibitions, and feeling I had nothing left to lose, I decided to do something unwise: be honest.

"I really have no idea what I'm doing up here. It's no secret most of you couldn't care less about me, and vice-versa."

Danielle reached out for the mike. "Okay, why don't we let Tara say some-"

I dodged and ignored her. "The only reason I'm here is because of a girl." I sighed. "It always is."

"It's all about love, you know. Love's a funny thing, though. It can hurt worse than any torture, or a wedgie from the bullies in D-hall. And yet, we'd do almost anything to have it. Me.. I gave up. I didn't go that extra mile when it counted, and because of that... I lost the love of my life."

"Or she could have been, I'll never know now, will I?" I added bitterly.

Danielle was signing to me to stop, and I was already preparing to give up the mike and leave the stage when I noticed movement at the doors. A woman in a crimson dress stepped inside, staying against the wall next to the door. Kim? Oh my God, it was Kim! I had no idea what she was doing here, but this was my chance.

I looked straight at her. "If I ever had the chance again... I'd tell her I have loved her, my entire life. And that my life without her hasn't really been life at all."

I couldn't make out the expression on her face. One by one, the crowd started turning to look over at her.

"I'd tell her, I would do anything to get her back in my life." _Oh, screw it_: "I love you, KP," I said looking straight into her eyes.

More people turned to look at her, like they were expecting her to run across the room into my arms. Me... I was hoping, not expecting. She glanced around at the expectant faces, and her gaze fell. She bolted out of the room.

"Kim!" I yelled after her and jumped off the stage, dropping the crown on the floor. The crowd parted before me as I ran towards the exits.

As I pushed through the doors, I heard a car speeding away from the parking lot. Great. Just great. Burned twice, in the same day. Maybe I just had to accept it: Kim doesn't love me, or want to have anything to do with me.

Having had enough, I walked off and trod the streets. The town looked so deceptively peaceful and safe; but, to me, it was nothing but a string of disappointments and heartache. I was beginning to truly hate this town. It sure seemed to hate me, even more than Wannaweep.

≈O≈

Monique knocked on Mrs. Possible's bedroom door and cracked open the door. She hadn't heard anything from her bed-ridden ward, so she decided check on her.

"Do you need anything, Mrs. Possible?" Monique asked from the door.

Mrs. Possible glanced at her direction. "You're not Kim."

"Kim's not here. I'm Monique, Kim's friend, remember me?"

Mrs. Possible's face contorted into a confused frown as if she was straining to remember. It was unclear if she actually remembered the girl or not when a few moments later her face relaxed and she turned away, gazing lazily out the window.

"Where's Kim?" Mrs. Possible asked.

"She's at the reunion, remember?" Monique explained gently. She and Kim had already explained all this earlier, but she seemed to drift in and out of focus.

"Reunion?"

"Her ten-year high school reunion."

"Ten.. year.."

"Yeah. She wasn't going at first-"

"It's been ten years..."

"-but I convinced her to go and try patch things up with Ron."

"Ron?" Mrs. Possible seemed to perk up a little. "Ronald is here?"

"Uh-huh."

"I always liked Ronald..." she said, falling into a wistful silence for a minute. Monique was just about to leave when she spoke up again: "...you think they can work things out?"

"I sure hope so," Monique sighed. "They're both willing, but stupid."

Mrs. Possible stayed quiet for a few more moments.

"Monique, was it?" she finally asked.

"Yes, Mrs. Possible."

"I think there's some soup in the fridge. Could you be a dear and warm me up some..."

≈O≈

My phone rang. I didn't want to answer, but whoever it was, was persistent. I dug it out and saw that the caller was Monique.

"Yes?" I didn't care how exhausted I sounded anymore: KP took the last iota of energy out of me when she ran from the building...

"_So, what happened?"_

Monique sounded insistent, even more so than usually.

"I told her how I felt, again, and she rejected me. Again."

"_You have it so wrong. She does love you, she's just afraid."_

"Of what?"

"_Change. Being happy after all those years of misery. Believe me, she loves you."_

"..."

"_Ron. I'm tired of playing match-maker to people who already ought to be happily married. I'm at Kim's house right now. Get your ass here. She's bound to show up sooner or later."_

Somehow, she sounded like it wasn't about just me and Kim anymore. But at that point, I really couldn't care less.

"No. I'm done listening to you. You don't know jack about us, Mon, even though you think you do, so give it up."

"_Ron-"_

"Bye, Monique." I hung up. Before pocketing the phone, I turned it off.

It was getting chilly. It was already dark, but I could still see the clouds gathering in the up-to-now clear sky, as if responding to my mood. I flipped up my collar, and kept walking. My concept of time was lost as I walked through town, staring at the pavement, wallowing in my misery.

I didn't know how far or for how long I had walked when I finally stopped and looked around.

_Oh, for crying out loud!_

There it was, the one place I was trying avoid, just across the street - the Possible house.

Never before had it been so imposing, so.. menacing.

As I stood there, just watching, the low growl of a V8 engine drew my attention; those things were rare these days. A dark red Mustang convertible - I wasn't an expert on cars, but the model looked last decade - pulled up on the driveway. With the _"TGFY BB"_ vanity plates the car screamed "Monique". But she wasn't the one driving - Kim was.

After Kim had stopped the car, she just sat in it, engine running. She dropped her head on the rim of the steering wheel. A minute later she finally turned off the car and stepped out. As she was turning towards the house, she raised her eyes - and saw me.

Time stood still. We did nothing but stare at each other. I was afraid to break the silence, lest something bad happen again.

Kim was the first to break contact. She gazed down, and with an unreadable expression on her face, walked to the front door.

My mind screamed for me to do or say something, anything, but I could not. Helplessly I watched Kim open the door. She looked back one last time before going inside the house.

For a few moments I cursed Kim for toying with me like this. I cursed Monique for giving me false hope. And I cursed myself for actually believing that, after all these years and after what had happened today, things could actually be different.

Then I saw it. There it was, another crumb dropped from the table, a piece of meat dangled in front of a starving man.

And I actually considered taking it.

Indecision drove me to once again dig out the pack of smokes and light one up as I sat on the curb.

The open door stood before me, calling to me. I stared at the formidable opening, taking drag after drag, through dissipating clouds of smoke, trying to resist its siren song, and trying to figure out if it even meant anything. It was hard not to think Kim had left the door open on purpose, as a sign, but the now-surfaced realist in me said she probably just forgot to close it.

The cigarette started to burn my fingers. As I put it out, I suddenly felt lighter.

I had come to a decision.

I crushed the almost full cigarette pack and stuffed it down the storm drain opening next to me. Whatever happened from here on in, I wouldn't be needing them anymore. As I stood up and dusted myself off, I pulled out my phone. With my gaze still locked on the open door, I made a phone call.

"Mom, it's me. I might be late coming over..."

"...I need to go see about a girl."

* * *

_The end..._

_...and a beginning._

* * *

A/N: In case you couldn't decipher the Monique-speak, the acronym on the license plate reads: "Too Good For You Baby Boy".


End file.
